The present inventive subject matter relates generally to the art of mobile and/or wireless telecommunications. Particular but not exclusive relevance is found in connection with 3G (3rd Generation) and LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless networks, and accordingly the present specification makes specific reference thereto. It is to be appreciated however that aspects of the present inventive subject matter are also equally amenable to other like applications and/or network environments.
Using 3G and LTE wireless networks, there are new business models emerging involving mobile network operators (MNOs) or wireless service providers, subscribers or end users and 3rd party content providers. In some business models, a 3rd party content provider may be willing under certain circumstances to offer a sponsored data plan to an end user subscribing to mobile or wireless data services provided by a specific network operator.
For example, an end user may subscribe to mobile data services provided by an MNO or other wireless service provider, e.g., such as Verizon or AT&T. Commonly, the end user may purchase a data plan, e.g., for a set fee or otherwise, from the MNO or wireless service provider. In accordance with the user's data plan, the user is allotted a given amount of data (e.g., so many megabytes (MB)) which they can have transported over a mobile telecommunications network of the operator or service provider within a given billing cycle, e.g., for download to their mobile telephone or other wireless device, generally referred to herein as user equipment (UE).
At times, the user may employ their UE to access (e.g., to download or stream) content from an application server of a 3rd party content provider. Optionally, the content provider may charge a fee for such access. In any event, the content is generally transported from the content provider's application server to the user's UE over the mobile/wireless network provided and/or operated by the MNO or wireless service provider. Usually in this case, the amount of data transported over the network is deducted from and/or charged against the user's data plan allotment. However, under certain circumstances, the content provider (and/or optionally the MNO) may sponsor the data session used to deliver the content over the network, i.e., the content provider (and/or optionally the MNO) may offer and/or provide a sponsored data plan, such that by the end user subscribing to the sponsored data plan, all or some portion of the transported data is not deducted from and/or charged against the user's data plan allotment, but rather it may be deducted from and/or charged against the sponsored data plan.
Such arrangements present certain challenges. For example, it remains a challenge for content providers to determine the network operator to which a subscriber belongs. There is a further challenge to inform the network operator's online charging system about an end user's subscription to a sponsored data plan offered by the content provider and accepted by the end user, and/or about the details of sponsored data plan, e.g., such as the sponsored services, sponsored time-band, sponsored quality of service, type of sponsorship, etc. A further challenge can be presented for the network operator to detect a sponsored service among multiple data sessions initiated by a user across the operator's network so as to be able to apply the sponsored data plan to such a detected service. Still another challenge may be for network operators to detect a user's access to a content provider's application server so as to potentially be able to offer their own promotional data plan enabling access to the same service but with the network operator's sponsored data plan subscription, e.g., involving a promotional or preferential tariff, quality of service, etc. Yet another challenge is maintaining a user's privacy and/or network neutrality.
Accordingly, a new and/or improved system and/or method is disclosed which addresses the above-referenced challenge(s) and/or others.